Thursday, June 24, 2010

Douglas County Birding

June 19, 2010

Richard Stevens:

I decided to see if the Yellow-billed Cuckoos at the DuPont Open Space near Louviers could be heard or seen from outside of the property. Access is closed most of the time as far as I can determine.

I arrived about 30 minutes before sunrise and stay for an hour and a half. None called during my stay.

Therefore, I thought to try for the Yellow-billed Cuckoo(s) at Chatfield Reservoir (Jefferson/Douglas). Here I enjoyed better luck. A Yellow-billed Cuckoo was found east of the Platte River and south of the second pond south of Kingfisher Bridge.

Later I drove around to the Discovery Pavilion Parking area and walked east to the river. A male American Redstart was fluttering about in the tall trees east of the Waterton Canyon parking area.

From here, I took Titan Road and eventually ended up along Castlewood Canyon Road south of the State Park. I kept an eye out for Scissor-tailed Flycatchers, which seem to show up/are reported most springs south of Chatfield State Park. None today however.

Three male and a female Bobolink were in the field about 0.2 miles south of the Winkler Ranch entrance. I heard several Common Yellowthroats and a Grasshopper Sparrow, no Dickcissels yet this year.

The day was not too hot yet, so I walked below the old Cherry Creek dam in the area where the Prairie Warbler was found last year. No warblers were found; however, I did find a singing Least Flycatcher.

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